Makoto's Moment
by Machina Ex Deus
Summary: Something happens to Makoto during a battle with Nephrite, and she finds "her old boyfriend." Oneshot. MakoXNeph.


**A/N:** Originally written as a later scene for my other fic **_In Nomine Luna, Requiescat In Pace_**, I fixed it to get it out of the crossover section, and hopefully get people who like to review. hint hint ;)

I put up this scene because I think people don't focus on Makoto as much as they do the rest of the Senshi. I'm a really big Makoto fan, and thought that she always did need some more time in the limelight. Besides, the girl's a freaking force of nature when she gets fighting.

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><p>Calling down all of her fury on one man would be difficult, but there was no other way to defeat Nephrite. She never was very good at hitting single targets. That was usually Rei's job. Most of her stronger powers involved hitting groups. Well, there's a first time for everything.<p>

Usagi and the girls were all lying around the battlefield, wounded but not too bad. Nephrite was getting up again after Usagi hit him with everything she had, and now it was down to Makoto to finish the job. She just hoped that no stray lightning would hit her friends.

The sky and clouds heeded her call as she began to draw all of the power she had into this one final strike. She always went all or nothing when it all hit the fan. Anything less, and she would regret it if she lost. But feeling the power welling up within her, Makoto knew that today wasn't a going to end in defeat. The winds howled, and rain began to fall, as it always did when she did this. Someone once said that it was the sky crying because someone would attack her. Who had said that?

Nephrite had finally stood, but could do nothing to prepare himself or defend against the blast. He could only watch the woman once hailed as the Lady of Storms bore down all of her fury against him.

"SUPREME THUNDER TEMPEST!"

At her command, she channeled the raw fury of her storm against Nephrite. Stray bolts hit trees and tore up the park. A continuous stream of lightning traveled through Makoto as she screamed, and it jumped out of her, forming a giant elemental dragon. Nephrite locked eyes with it for a few seconds, and saw exactly what this being of raw power wanted to convey.

_My lady wishes you dead._

The Serpent lunged out at Nephrite, and slammed into the general with all of its energy. It tore through armor and uniform, blasting a fist sized hole in the general's stomach. The storm rained down on him, striking him repeatedly as he was attacked again and again by snake and storm.

Time was of no consequence as Makoto focused all of her strength into sustaining the storm. Though it would never hurt her, it wasn't a tame thing by any means. The storm bowed to her will, and only by her will would it stay concentrated on the single target she had. It took everything she had to keep the stray bolts from hitting any of her friends.

As her power died down, and the fury of the storm called with her rage began to calm, she saw Nephrite lying amidst the shattered trees and broken sidewalk.

In that moment, time froze for Makoto. And she remembered.

Makoto began to tremble as memory after memory washed over her in perfect clarity. The war of the Silver Millennium, the supposed betrayal of the Shittenou, the mindless stare in his eyes as he gutted her. Everything rushed back, memories thousands of years old and fresh as if they all happened yesterday assailed her as she saw an old life flash before her eyes.

Her eyes went wide as the man laying before came bursting into full recognition. It was Nephrite. Her Nephrite. The one man she had ever truly loved was lying there, bleeding out on the pavement. She could feel his soul again. It wasn't the taint of the Dark Kingdom anymore. All she could feel was slowly fading starlight.

Her mind racing, her heart in her throat, she ran to him, falling to her knees at his side and bursting into tears as she roughly cradled him in her arms. "It wasn't supposed to be like this! We were supposed to be free of her! Why? Why did she take you back? Why are you fighting us? Why did you have to come back now, only so I can lose you again? WHY CAN I FEEL YOU NOW?"

Nephrite's eyes open at her cries. His eyes are shining again, like the stars he loved so much once again, twinkling and fading. In a weak voice he mumbles, "Jupiter?"

"Shh… I'm here. I'm here. It's going to be alright, Nephy."

He gives her a pained smile. "I told you… I hate that nickname, Sparky."

She smiled. She knew this argument. They've had it before. Makoto is smiling even as the tears run down her cheeks, landing on her beloved's face. "But I like it. So you'll never get rid of it…" Her words are cut off as she felt his chest spasm from the pain of his many wounds.

"Mercury! Mercury, come here and help him!"

Mercury, and the rest of the Senshi, stand shock still. They must think she's insane; asking to help the person that just tried to kill them. "Wha… huh… What?"

"Please, Mercury, He's dying! PLEASE! DO SOMETHING!"

Nephrite reaches with a bloody hand, straining to touch his angel's face. "Hey… you're making the clouds cry again…"

At that moment Sailor Jupiter, the strongest of the Senshi, felt her all her power useless at his words. She held his hand close against her cheek, and cried as his breathing becomes more labored and shallow.

Mercury broke from her stunned stupor at this, and rushed up to him to see if there was anything she could do for the dying man. It didn't look good. Between the hole in his stomach, the numerous lightning burns, and all of the damage from the rest of the battle, there was too much to heal. She couldn't find the words to tell her friend, but her eyes say enough. Mercury stood, and gave the couple a semblance of privacy.

And so, the Senshi stood vigil, watching as one of their hated enemies died. And Makoto cried for the man she finally came to remember as "her old boyfriend."

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><p>Author says Read and Review! Now I'm gonna go... get rid of this stuff in my eyes...sniffle...<p> 


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